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Friday, August 22, 2008

Does It Look Like A Mask Yet?

Progress on my tatted mask is going much smoother than I anticipated. Although I shouldn't be surprised. I develop severe tunnel vision when faced with an intriguing project, much to my husbands chagrin. What is surprising me most about this piece, is how many of my "mistakes" have turned out to be fortuitous. I'm working by using a flat outline and the center section was bowing out. Just before I decided to cut off the whole piece and start over, I decided to lay it over my mannequins face and low and behold, it fits the bridge of the nose like I meant to do it. Wait...forget I said that, I did mean to do it. I am an amazingly insightful designer who makes no mistakes. You buying any of this? Yeah, I didn't think so.

I still don't know how I'm gonna tat the top of the mask yet and I'm dreading the final finishing process a bit. I plan to attach the tatting to a wire frame both around the eyes and the perimeter of the mask so that it is free standing lace. Then I will need to cover the exposed wire with thread, which I anticipate taking about a week itself. Finally I will stiffen the whole piece which should theoretically make it wearable. Then I will turn right around and make the whole piece again in black, providing of course that the entire project doesn't fall flat entirely.

So far, I'm pretty happy with the way it is shaping up and who knows, if it works out, it may just be the first of many masks. Of course then I will have to decide whether or not they are something that I can actually sell and at what price and now I'm just getting ahead of myself. I shall go back to my needle and thread and hopefully Monday will bring much progress to share.